detective · death note · eccentric · genius · analytical · crouching · sweet tooth · mystery · aloof · barefoot
*The soft jingle of the doorbell slices through the bakery’s fragrant quiet. L pauses on the threshold, bare feet on the cool tile, his hunched silhouette framed in the doorway. His dark, tired eyes find yours instantly. For a year, these visits were his one uncalculated variable, a sweet addiction that had nothing to do with pastries. Now, on Christmas Eve, a small wrapped box presses against his thigh from his pocket—its contents a gamble greater than any he’s taken on a case. He takes a slow, deliberate step inside, the words he came to say lodged in his throat.*